About the 2020 WIA Annual Conference
The WIA wishes to advise members and friends that the WIA 2020 Annual Conference has been cancelled.
This is to comply with the Federal Government directive that precludes meetings or gatherings of more than 100 people and to also refrain from unnecessary travel.
The WIA apologise for any inconvenience caused.
A request has been made to ASIC for a delay in holding the Annual General Meeting.
The WIA 2021 Annual Conference will be held in Hobart and the date will be advised soon.
Again we apologise for any inconvenience caused and we hope to see you in Hobart in 2021.
73, WIA Board.
Getting to Tassie - Be a spirited traveller
Spirit of Tasmania - Special offer
We have organised a special discounted rate with the Spirit of Tasmania which provides discounted fares and accommodation on the Spirit of Tasmania ferry for two weeks before and after the conference.
So, consider bringing your vehicle, caravan or motor home and touring Tasmania! Bookings are OPEN through the exclusive members page - Link.
The exclusive booking period is from 14 April 2020 until 24 May 2020 and there are two types of bookings on offer (subject to availability) - WIA Annual Conference (Spirit) and WIA Annual Conference (Flexi). Make sure the name (WIA Annual Conference 2020) is included in the fare type name. If not it may indicate you have left the Exclusive Members Page booking platform.
We have permission from the Ships Masters to operate "Maritime Mobile" on 6m, 2m, 70cm handheld on the ships during this time. Some conditions apply and these can be found at Link
Fly/Drive
All major airlines fly into Hobart - Qantas, Jetstar, Virgin and Tiger.
Hobart airport is 18km away from Hobart and there is a Skybus that makes regular trips to/from the airport every 15m.
Hire cars are also available at the airport.
Most activities over the weekend are within walking distance of the Best Western Hotel and those activities that are not there is a bus organised to get you to the activity.
Friday 8th May 2020 Program
The conference activities start lunchtime Friday.
For a lucky 30 people there will be a guided tour of the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) pictured left. This is open to Conference delegates from all call areas other than VK7. This gives those people outside Tasmania a better chance to see the workings of the AAD. Link
Friday afternoon will also see the Club Executive's Gathering at the Best Western Conference venue. This gathering is a chance for Amateur Radio club executives to meet the Board and discuss a broad range of topics.
There will be an informal pay-your-own dinner held on the Friday night at a popular Hobart venue.
Saturday 9th May 2020 Program
Saturday morning will be the WIA Annual General Meeting and Open Forum held at the Best Western Hotel.
We will break for a catered lunch for delegates.
Saturday Technical Presentations
After lunch presentations for delegates will be held in two streams:
Antarctic Stream:
 Rex Moncur VK7MO - will talk about his period as Director of the Australian Antarctic Division between 1988 and 1999.
Dr Andrew Klekociuk from the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) will take the audience through some history, past and present atmospheric studies being conducted in Antarctica by the AAD.
Dr Roland Watzl - is Deputy Chief Medical Officer with the AAD and will outline Polar Medicine in Antarctica.
Peter Yates VK7PY and Kim Briggs VK7KB - Antarctic Communications Review - From Mawson to Satellites
Roger Harrison VK2ZRH - will present his time at Casey Station in 1970 operating AX0GR.
Radio Stream:
Steve Adler VK5SFA - 4 Square DX Antenna Systems or Transmitting Magnetic Loop Antennas.
David Minchin VK5KK, Tim Dixon VK5ZT, Iain Crawford VK5ZD - Epic VK Microwave Tour #2.
David Minchin VK5KK - 122GHz Transverter Update.
Jamie Campbell VK2YCJ - KiwiSDR and Noise and Interference Reduction
Phil Tompson VK7SS - Novaris - Lightning Protection Systems
Conference Dinner
On Saturday evening the WIA will host it's Annual Conference Dinner at the Best Western.
There will also be the raffle draw for the ICOM IC-9700 (or IC-705) Transceiver and many other wonderful Antarctic, Tasmanian and Radio related raffle prizes.
Please note to be eligible for the raffle draw you need to be a delegate and attend the conference dinner. Additional raffle tickets will be available at the Conference Dinner.
Conference Dinner - Keynote Speaker
Our keynote speaker for the night will be Elizabeth Leane who is Professor of English and ARC Future Fellow. Elle's presentation is titled - Mixed Signals: The Impact of Wireless on the Australasian Antarctic Expedition (1911-14)
Just before the Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) departed in late 1911, its leader Douglas Mawson boasted to the media that the great feature of the expedition is our wireless equipment. For Mawson, establishing wireless communication between the two continents for the first time was important not only for practical and scientific reasons, but also symbolic ones: a continent that was effectively within talking distance of Australia, he argued, had a special call upon its people.
While Mawson ultimately achieved his dream of establishing two-way wireless communication from Antarctica, it came at a significant cost. The windy environment meant that almost no contact was made in the AAE's first year. When the expedition was unexpectedly extended into 1913, the arrival of a new wireless officer, Sidney Jeffryes, turned everything around, and regular conversations were soon held with Australia, relayed via Macquarie Island. But this new-found connection created tensions between the men, putting Jeffryes under considerable stress. Around midwinter, just after a strong gust of wind damaged the main wireless mast, Jeffryes began suffering from a psychotic illness. The wireless became a battle-ground between the paranoid, isolated wireless man and his worried, frustrated leader a situation that only got worse when the expedition returned to Australia.
Drawing on a collaborative research project with polar historian Ben Maddison and psychologist Kimberly Norris, Professor Leane examines the impact of the wireless on the interpersonal dynamics of the expedition, focusing particularly on Jeffryes, as a way of understanding the important but destabilizing role this technology played during Australia's first Antarctic expedition. For further information see this Link
Sunday 10th May 2020 Program
Sunday is packed with half day options. So, to ensure no-one misses out we are alternating between the Grote Reber and Mawson's Hut Museums and either the Maritime Museum or the Islands to Ice Exhibition. For the group that does the Reber in the morning then they do the rest in the afternoon and vice versa. There will be buses between the Best Western and the Reber and Mawson's Hut.
Mawson's Huts Replica Museum Link
Tasmanian Maritime Museum Link or Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery - Islands to Ice Exhibition Link
Grote Reber Museum and Radio Telescope Dish Link
Lunch can be purchased from the many venues around waterfront and Salamanca Place.
To finish off the Conference weekend there will be a BBQ hosted by the Radio and Electronics Association of Southern Tasmania (Link) in the heritage listed Coast Wireless Station on the Queen's Domain.
This facility was built in 1912 and communicated with the Mawson Antarctic Expedition via Spark Gap Transmitter. This will also include tours of the Tasmanian Maritime Radio (Link) facility and museum which is located next to the Coast Wireless Station.
Partners Tours
The WIA hopes that partners will also choose to join in for the AGM conference weekend of activities.
On the Saturday morning there will be a visit to the huge Salamanca Market on the waterfront. After lunch partners can hop on the MONA ferry (pictured right) that will whisk them out to the Museum of Old and New Art (MONA).
This is a fascinating eclectic museum that is well worth a look. Link
Hotel Accommodation
The Conference will be centred around the Best Western Hotel in Bathurst St Hobart and the WIA has been able to secure excellent room rates at the hotel and these can be booked by calling (03) 623 262 43 or emailing reservations97434@bestwestern.com.au and quoting WIA to receive a $149 discounted room rate.
The Best Western Hotel website can be accessed via this Link
Other Hotel Accommodation around Hobart including the time to walk between the Best Western Conference Venue:
MACq01 - $340 - 20m walk - Link
Henry Jones Art Hotel - $290 - 19m walk - Link
Hotel Grand Chancellor - $284 - 18m walk - Link
Somerset on the Pier - $255 - 16m walk - Link
Hadleys Orient Hotel - $219 - 8m walk - Link
RACV/RACT Hobart - $209 - 7m walk - Link
Lenna - $209 - 19m walk - Link
Mantra Collins - $199 - 14m walk - Link
Salamanca Inn - $199 - 13m walk - Link
Mantra One - $189 - 9m walk - Link
The Old Woolstore - $179 - 18m Walk - Link
Quest Savoy - $161 - 10m walk - Link
Travel Lodge -$149 - 7m walk - Link
Macquarie Manor - $148 - 7m walk - Link
Ibis Styles - $147 - 7m walk - Link
Quest Waterfront - $147 - 14m walk - Link
Wrest Point - $139 - 40m walk or 7m drive - Link
Hostels (Dormitory Style)
Hobart Central YHA - 14m walk - Link
Backpackers Imperial - 8m walk - Link
Tassie Backpackers - 9m walk - Link
The Pickled Frog - 6m walk - Link
Narrara Backpackers - 6m walk - Link
Hobart Hostel and Backpackers - 4m walk - Link
The Nook Backpackers - 5m walk - Link
Caravan Parks
Seven Mile Beach Cabin Park - 22m drive -Link
New Norfolk Caravan Park - 33m drive - Link
South Arm Cabin Retreat - 35m drive - Link
Island Cabin and Tourist Park - Goodwood - 13m drive - Link
Discovery Parks Risdon - 14m drive - Link
Barilla Holiday Park - Cambridge - 16m drive - Link
Hobart Airport Big4 Caravan Park - 16m drive - Link
Discovery Holiday Parks Mornington - 10m drive - Link
Parking Near The Venue
If you are staying at the Best Western then parking is available under the hotel. Parking is also available in the streets surrounding the hotel. Please be aware that there are parking meters on some of these streets.
Map of the Hobart Area
Click the above map for a more detailed view. - use back button to return to this page
Click the following Link to view the Hobart Area using Google Maps
Register Today
Before registering you need to decide which of the Sunday Activities you would like to attend. This is split into morning and afternoon activities:
1). Mawsons Huts Replica Museum and one of either the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery or Tasmanian Maritime Museum
And
2). Grote Reber Museum and Radio Telescope dish
To register to attend the 2020 WIA Annual Conference
Click this - >> Link << -
Page Last Updated: Thursday, 19 Mar 2020 at 19:09 hours by Justin Giles-clark
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